


30 minutes in an elevator

by suzakukills



Category: Free!
Genre: Awkwardness, Love/Hate, M/M, Trapped In Elevator
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-24
Updated: 2014-10-24
Packaged: 2018-02-22 09:56:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,566
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2503652
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/suzakukills/pseuds/suzakukills
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It couldn't be worst. Well, Sousuke shouldn't think that because as faith would have it surely things would get worst. Here he was, trapped in a tiny elevator with, who else but Haruka Nanase. He could almost feel Nanase's breathing on his neck.</p>
            </blockquote>





	30 minutes in an elevator

It couldn't be worst. Well, Sousuke shouldn't think that because as faith would have it surely things  _would_  get worst.

Here he was, trapped in a tiny elevator with, who else but Haruka Nanase. You would think Rin's big-shot condo would have a bigger one. Yet, it fit two people (maybe three if they were regular sized persons), and this meant he could almost feel Nanase's breathing on his neck.

"I'll call Rin," the blue eyed boy had suggested the minute after the elevator stopped moving, and the lights had flickered. Sousuke hadn't said a word, and he refused to turn around to look at the guy. 

If he had known he was coming too he would've rescheduled, even if he hadn't seen Rin in days. 

"It's not working," he mumbled, but it was so quiet he had heard him perfectly. "Of course it's not," he replied, and stepped forward to hit the emergency button and commuter.

The red light didn't even blink. "Shit," he growled and fiercely continued to press it to no avail. "Stop," Nanase told him, without moving from his place. Sousuke felt rage rip through him, now he was supposed to take orders from him?

"Listen, here," he started, urning around to face him, and this time Nanase held his ground, but his words were cut short when the flashing lights finally gave and they were left in the dark. Sousuke's finger was mid-air as he'd been speaking but the sudden interruption made his anger fizzle away.

"Could you step back? I can feel your breath on my face," Nanase finally spoke and Sousuke couldn't believe it. "Try calling him again," he retorted, a sigh escaping from his lips as he stepped back to lean on the elevator wall.

"No signal," he showed him the screen, and true enough, not a single bar. "At least no one's afraid of cramped spaces," he followed up, feeling uncomfortable in the dark, Nanase's face barely visible before the light of his phone finally turned off.

"I am," he mumbled, and even if he turned his way he couldn't see him. "What?" Sousuke grumbled.

"Just kidding," and his dead pan humour couldn't be beat, he face-palmed and leaned on the wall, his forehead bumping softly against it. Leave it to him to make a dry joke like that under these conditions.

"Well, I'm sure they'll do something. Rin already knew we were on our way up," he fumbled through the dark, trying to find the emergency button and instead he ended up running into Nanase's hand. On impulse, he backed away, that was creepy. How did he even get next to him without him noticing?

Sousuke clutched his chest, thankful the lights were out, as he cursed under his breath. "Shit, don't do that," he commanded and wished they could just get out of there.

"Are you scared, Yamazaki?" 

The lights flickered again, and this time they stayed on, and Nanase was pressing the button intently, as Sousuke's hands still clung to his chest. He recoiled, standing upright and shaking his head.

"Shut up, you came out of nowhere."

"It's not like it could be anyone else, we're alone in here," his blue eyes rolled, and he didn't move from his spot. 

"Just press the button, and try calling Rin again."

"Why don't you try calling him?"

"I left my phone in the car, or I wouldn't even be asking you to do it in the first place," he looked away, bored from seeing his face, and wondering why his hand had been so cold. Unnatural. 

Silence again, only this time the commuter finally made noise, mostly static, but a worried voice instructing them they were trying to get them out and to stay calm, and put.

"Right, like we're going anywhere," Sousuke growled, clenching his fists. At least they knew they were trapped in here.

"Aren't you tired of being angry all the time?" his neutral tone made it hard to take it as an offense, and he crouched down, obviously tired of standing around for nothing. Nanase's eyes were looking at him, as he spoke, and he could see the curiosity in his blue eyes.

"Aren't you tired of not giving a shit about anything all the time?" Sousuke wanted to reduce the distance between them, confront him, but he wasn't sure it was a good idea. He knew the bad blood between them was mostly one-sided, and he wondered why years later he couldn't just let it go. 

Nanase was actually a decent guy, he'd come to discover through the regular meetings with Tachibana, Rin, him, and himself. Still, even if he'd decided to use his talent and go pro and continue to improve Rin's olympic future... he couldn't stop the scratch that filled his body whenever he saw him.

"I care about things," he replied, and this time there was a glimmer on his eyes, it was as if he'd actually said something that got through to him. 

"I don't think I've ever heard you talk so many words in all these years," Sousuke mumbled, finding it hard not to chuckle and look away. "I don't actually hate you, Nanase..." he trailed off, unsure of what was the point of telling him.

Nanase's lips parted, as if he was about to reply, but a sudden dropping motion, shuffled them both as the elevator seemed to drop a level or two, and when it stopped, it was Sousuke half on top of the smaller boy. 

What surprised him, was how despite their positions and sudden movement, the boy was shielding his shoulder from slamming into the floor with his arm. 

"You idiot, you're a professional swimmer, you should've protected yourself. How much do you think I weigh?" He was scolding him, but he couldn't hide his embarrassment as he moved back and up, making sure the other boy stood up and pulling him by the arm and waist. 

He didn't say anything, but judging by the way he kept his other hand in his ribs, it was safe to say he was hurt. "Show me," Sousuke ordered, but Nanase simply looked away, ignoring him.

"I said show me!" he shouted, and his blue eyes widened, as he walked back and hit the wall. Sousuke's way of dealing with things may work with Rin but he wasn't Rin.

His shoulders dropped, and another long sigh escaped his lips. "Just show me," he tried again, and let his right hand move up to rub his temple, already feeling the heat of the cramped space.

"It's fine," Nanase mumbled.

"It's not fine," Sousuke walked forward, hesitantly. The space was small enough that he was already standing inches away from him. "Besides, I didn't do it to help you, that's just how we fell," his words barely above a whisper.

Sousuke took the opportunity to raise his shirt, the paleness long gone. His body, notably one of a professional swimmer, and sure enough - red all over in his left ribs, where Sousuke had slammed into him.

"Shit, we need to ice that or it's going to bruise badly," he was so caught up with examining the injury, that when Nanase dropped down his shirt, he didn't move from his spot, as he tried to shake his grip on it.

"Looks like you're taking training seriously too," he spoke after a while, and when he looked up he was staring into the deep blue of his eyes. His black hair was ruffled and he subconsciously moved his hand to brush it behind his ear. A habit he had acquired when Rin was pulling weight and hadn't properly tied back his hair.

Nanase trembled at the contact, and Sousuke stepped back. Realising the familiar gesture had been out of line. He brought his clenched fist to his face, covering his mouth and trying to figure out what demon possessed him to make him be so casual with the guy.

_Hey, are you okay? The elevator dropped between floors. Please respond, we're trying our best to get you out of there._

It was a relief to know they were working on it, but they weren't fast enough. Now it was too damn awkward.

"We're fine," Nanase, closest to the commuter, replied, and he remained glued to the wall. 

"So, you and Tachibana..."

"What about Makoto and me?" 

"Are you-"

"Can you just be quiet, Yamazaki?"

Sousuke hadn't felt this offended since the customer at his Dad's shop called him  _an unknowing brat who better get his Father out there in that instant._ Yet, he was probably right. He just needed to be quiet and they'd get them out, instead he felt that itch all over. 

He was sweating now, the ac had seemed to give out minutes ago, but he could already feel it. He didn't know if he wanted to punch or kiss the guy. He turned around, not looking at him was the best choice for now.

He stopped breathing.

Did he just think he wanted to kiss the guy?  _  
_

"Damn it," he muttered, maybe cramped spaces were bad for him after all. But looking at Nanase and his deep blue eyes, which reminded him of the sea and the water he wouldn't touch again, and his expressionless face which didn't seem to phase unless he was standing a little too close, it was undecidedly hard to not want to get a rise out of him.

His mind was drifting, as he wondered if the guy was still a virgin. Even though they were already 24, he couldn't imagine the guy doing anything remotely intimate. He let himself be caught in the illusion, wondering what face he'd make, or if his cheeks would look as red as they did when he brushed the hair out of his face, or if his eyes would be glazed all over or ----

"Yamazaki," Nanase was too close, and his hand was hesitantly touching his shoulder. "Huh?" Sousuke turned to meet him.

"You weren't answering. They said they need someone to lift the emergency door in the roof, but I'm not tall enough," he pointed up.

"Is that safe?" he shook his head, unsure of the request. The way the elevator had dropped before didn't give him any confidence in just climbing up there. 

It was better than staying here and doing nothing. He tipped the roof door over, but it wasn't enough for him to climb there. "I'll carry you," he told Nanase, and he didn't have time to be surprised, as he swooped him up and held him by the waist, hoisting him mid-air.

Carrying Nanase wasn't a good idea. Not because his shoulder was hurting or the boy's ribs were missed by an inch and he could've pressed them, but because he wondered why he smelled so good and felt so small in his arms, as he slowly pushed him up, moving from his waist to his thighs.

"I'm up," he pointed and Sousuke moved back to the commuter to tell them he was up, no orders could be issued as he felt the elevator tremble, and he ordered Nanase to get back in there.

"I'll catch you, come on," he ordered, frantic, and the smaller boy jumped down. Yet, despite the smallness in his arms, he was still a 70kg man (muscle growth can do that to you). 

Sousuke's knees gave, and they both dropped to the floor, this time with Nanase above, and as faith  _would have it_ , he was perfectly aligned on top of him, and his lips touching his cheek for just a second, before he recomposed himself and pulled back. 

Rin had told him once, that his spoken dislike of Nanase maybe had something behind it. His friend had been meaning to tease, but that didn't mean that he didn't entertain the notion for a bit, and then Gou had joined in saying that hate is the opposite of love. All he had to reply was that he  _didn't hate Nanase._  It was getting pretty hard to explain that t himself right now.

"It's dangerous, we're not going back up there," he instructed, and they both sat up, opposite of each other. Nanase's face was flushed, he had probably felt that things would go wrong too when he was up there.

 _Sousuke, Haru, are you guys okay? The fire squad is here already, Makoto came with them so we'll get you out a.s.a.p._  

Rin's voice was full of worry, and without thinking they both scrambled to the commuter. 

"I'm fine," they both spoke at the same time, and Rin's reply was laughter, he had probably imagined them pushing each other to speak. 

"Tachibana's coming?"

"Yeah, He's a fire fighter now," Nanase didn't move as he spoke, both still too close in order to remain next to the commuter.

"Figures. A guy like that saving lives."

"What's that supposed to mean?" and the defensive tone, and the way his eyes were squinting wasn't lost on Sousuke.

"Well that guy's practically a saint, isn't he? Anyone who can put up with you has to be," he didn't hide his smirk, and Nanase snorted, looking away from him.

"Snort all you want, you know I'm right," he crossed his arms over his chest. 

"Don't talk about Makoto."

Surprising, yet refreshing. He wanted to press on even further. "Why not?"

Nanase's angry eyes were directed at him, and all he could do was throw his hands up, "Fine, fine," he pretended to give in. "Have you guys kissed?" 

"Yamazaki!" Nanase's raised voice was something he had yet to have the pleasure of hearing, and he tried to push back the excitement he felt. 

"Well, have you?" he pressed on, sliding closer to him, until their shoulders were touching. 

"Have you and Rin kissed?"

His jaw dropped, that he hadn't been expecting. 

"If I said yes?" 

No reply.

"If I said no?"

"Why do you want to know?"

"Because I have a hard time imagining you doing anything like that," Sousuke admitted.

"Why are you imagining it in the first place?" his browed furrowed, and he had nothing to say, nothing that sounded eloquent or decent.

"I-"

 _Okay, we got it boys, let's do this_. 

The howling from the other side came too soon, and they could see the doors being pryed open by a metal bar, and on the other side Makoto leading the operation, when it was enough space so they could both climb through, they got out.

Rin was waiting too, and he trotted up to them, as the firefighters helped the technician enter the elevator as he looked over it. Makoto, excused himself, to join them and asked them if they were okay.

"I'm so glad you guys are okay," Rin tried to hide his embarrassment but it wasn't enough. He pulled them both forward, hugging them and Makoto simply watched on, a big smile on his face as he wiped the swear from his forehead.

Amidst the embrace, Sousuke felt his ear tickle, as Nanase's breath caressed him when he spoke.  _Yes_. Was all he whispered. 

Sousuke's eyes widened and he stepped back. They were all talking among each other, but he didn't have any other choice than to admit that Nanase Haruka wasn't what he expected him to be and it had taken him too many years to figure it out.


End file.
